


The Icy Pirate

by DawnTotadile



Category: Pirate 101, Wizard 101 - Fandom
Genre: Adventure, Detectives, Family, Fantasy, Gen, Magic, Pirates, Wizards, friends - Freeform, game RPG
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2019-01-07
Packaged: 2019-09-25 04:11:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 11,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17114219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DawnTotadile/pseuds/DawnTotadile
Summary: Pirates and Wizards should never have mixed, at least, that's what everyone always said. Follow Stormy Aurora Dove as she and her friend Ashlea Stone go and prove that wrong while going through Ravenwood's school of magic, the tasks at hand, and dealing with not only Malistare, but the evil Kane and his Robotic Armada as the duo learn magic, fight with pirates, and save the spiral!





	1. Chapter 1

Pirates and wizards should never have mixed. That was what everyone said at least, but sometimes rules are broken. Alura Dusksong, a new wizard in the school of Ice knew this better than anyone. Though she was an eighteen year old girl, she still had problems with what others called reality of facts. Alura looked around the commons of Ravenwood’s school for Wizardry in Wizard City and felt a shiver race up her spine.  
She ducked just in time to avoid a blast from a fire wizard. “Whoops, sorry. Lost control for a bit. You okay?” Alura looked up to find a young Pyromancer that she hadn’t seen in five years. “Aurora?”  
“It’s Alura now, Ash, but yeah.” Alura smiled wide like a child at Christmas. “Nice to see you again, Ashlea.” She pulled some of her blonde hair away from her eyes and tucked it behind her ears. She then adjusted her silver glasses and smirked.  
“You too, what are ya doing here? I heard you got caught by the Armada and dragged halfway across the spiral.”  
“I was… and farther… on my way back, I found that I had powers from the school of ice and well… here I am.” Alura shrugged.  
“OH! That’s why you’re going by Alura! It’s your new codename! Awesome. Mine’s Ash Firestone. What’s your full name?”  
“Heh, Alura Dusksong. Guess we still have a lot in common, huh?”  
“Yeah. Wizard powers up the whazoo… you still say that, don’t you?” The brown skinned wizard asked. She had brown hair and bright brown eyes, but her hair also had streaks of pink in it at the edges. She was wearing a set of fiery red robes with just the right amount of black to set it off nicely.  
Alura laughed as they started walking to the school of Ice. “Of course I do, Ash. I’m just surprised you’re using my nickname that I gave you when we were kids. How have you been?”  
“I’ve been well. I kick butt all over the Spiral with my fire spells, but I have some other spells as well. What about you?”  
Alura looked a little nervous about her past. She looked around to assure herself that no one was nearby. It made Ashlea chuckle. Back when they lived in Marelybone together, the two of them were always up to something secretive, whether they were sneaking into Aurora’s secret candy stash, which she always kept hidden under her bed, or tailing Aurora’s guardian and mentor, Sherlock Bones. “Promise you can keep a secret?”  
Ashlea smirked and held out her hand for a pinky promise, just like from when they were kids. “I promise, Aurora… or should I now call you Alura?”  
“I’ll answer to either one.” Aurora smirked as she held her friend’s pinky with her own and they shook. She then pulled out something and slipped it to Ashlea to look at. “I’ll be back in a few after I introduce myself to the teachers and get my first assignments.”  
“Right.” It was a small journal that was labeled “Captain’s log”. Ashlea sat down on the stone steps outside of the school of Ice and read the journal while waiting for Aurora. Inside the journal was exactly what it said, a captain’s log.


	2. Chapter 2

Captain’s log: Day 1  
A lot can happen from me getting invited to a party. I guess this is why I don’t go to parties often. I went to a party last week and defended some ladies from an Armada robot that thought he was charming or something. I lost the fight. I am only an apprentice detective after all, or at least I was. Today I woke up in my cell on the Armada ship like I had been doing since that night. Only difference? I woke up to hear a fight. I decided to take advantage of it. Bones always taught me to take advantage of any situation I could. I started to try picking the lock with the hairpin that I had on me. It was my last one. I still can’t believe all of what happened today.  
Another blast right in front of my cell. Two… pirates I think… came in. Because I was still in my pirate costume from the party, smelly as I was by then, they believed me to be a pirate like them. They broke open the cell and asked what I was in for. One was an old guy with a white beard. I missed his name, same with his friend, who was a monkey. I think he said he was from Monquistidor originally. Anyway, I told them that I had been defending some ladies at a party. I didn’t think I should lie to pirates. They said that I must be a swashbuckler because of how honest I am, as well as defensive apparently.  
As we were leaving, I remembered the other guy that had been jailed in the ship’s cells. I couldn’t just leave him. Who knows what they’d do to him. He was a Horse Barbarian from Mooshu. I didn’t have to convince the pirates to help me get him out of the jail cell. Turns out, he’s loyal to me now for rescuing him. Go fig. Ashlea would probably have a laugh. She always said I was a leader type. Hope she’s okay in her part of the spiral… Oh right, back to… my new… issues.  
Anyway, we made it up to the deck and the armada tried to capture us again. I didn’t have magic like Ashlea, and I wasn’t a boxer like Bones, nor did I have a gun. Thankfully, the fat white bearded guy had tossed me a sword. I was surprised that I caught it. I surprised myself even more when I found myself charging into battle to fight these things. The armada are a bunch of robotic clowns that look like they’re from an opera house. Basically a bunch of revolutionary war robots that went on their own agenda. It’s so annoying.  
So, apparently I can fight with a sword. I will admit, I was shocked. The bearded pirate nearly got killed but managed to shoot some bombs over to the Armada. The monkey started defending him. Just as I was sure to lose my life, the Horse Barbarian, Sabudai, saved me. He pulled me away from the blast shot and made a killer rush attack on the robots. “No one hurts my friends!” I’m surprised he considers me a friend already, but eh, I don’t mind. He’s a nice guy.  
We made it to the pirate’s ship, but because the captain, the big guy with the beard, was injured, he told me to pirate the ship. I don’t even have my driver’s license! I’m… I think I’m fourteen! I didn’t hesitate though once I heard that cannon boom. I ran up to the steering wheel and I don’t know… I just felt a click. Like this was what I was supposed to do. I suddenly started barking out orders to the crew. I got the ship moving out faster than I thought possible. I really wish that Ash and Uncle Milo had been able to see me. I haven’t seen either of them in a while. Ashlea started at the school for wizards but… what will she think of me now? I’m a pirate! Wizards aren’t supposed to get along with pirates, right? That’s what everyone always told me…  
I steer us to a nearby island as I’m directed. Turned out to be called Pirate Island. My luck. I was raised by the dogs of Marelybone, so they think that I can shoot… that’s only partially true. Sherlock Bones taught me how to shoot, but he made me promise not to unless it was a last resort. I wonder if he’s worried about me… I sent him a letter once I found the mailbox around here. Told him I found a school that would take me in and that I’d be gone for a while. Hope he’s okay.  
Apparently, there’s a pirate school here. Because I’m apparently a swashbuckler, I was introduced to Morgan La’Fitte, the instructor of the Swashbuckler school. I was also introduced to Captain Avery. He’s an annoying person to deal with, but apparently he’s the headmaster of here.  
Oh, and I have a crew now… well the start of one. So far, it only has two people, Sabudai and a fox sharpshooter I picked up named Bonnie Anne. She helped me recover something for Avery. I got a ship out of the deal… sorta. The ship is actually a rust bucket that could use more than a little tune up. Heck, I’d go so far as to say that we need magic just to keep it running. Even the blind cat agrees with me. Old Mew hangs out around the docks and gives out hints to us new pirates… man I hope Bones doesn’t find out… and that Ash doesn’t hate me because of this… Bones would just ask me “What would my parents think?” I hate when he asks me that. I never knew them. I was taken to Bones when I was about a year old by Uncle Milo. I miss him. Hope he’s okay. He’s been gone since I turned five, but I still remember him fondly.  
Anyway, I’m staying in the school’s dorm at the moment. Sabudai and Bonnie Anne are staying at her place for the night. I’m to meet them tomorrow at Avery’s court. They said they’d help me with my homework that I’ll get, as well as quests. Cool, huh? G’night.


	3. Chapter 3

Ashlea closed the book as Aurora stepped out of the school of Ice. She knew that her first homework assignments would be on Unicorn Way, just like every beginner. Aurora looked at her with worry in her mismatched eyes, one blue, the other green. “You still up for talking to me?”  
Ashlea smirked, knowing how hard it was for Aurora to make friends. Truthfully, she had been worried that she would be Aurora’s only real friend, but if this book meant anything, then she had more friends than she thought. “Let’s get going. I’ll guide you around here for a while. I’ve got nothing to do until next week anyway. I finished my homework early.” She was somewhat surprised that Aurora hugged her.  
“Thank you.”  
“No prob. I only read day one, but man, sounds like you dealt with a lot of shit.”  
“Yeah, that’s just day one, hehe. You oughta hear what happened later on. You can read some more of it while I check out with some of the guys on Unicorn Way… that is… if you’re still up to hanging with me?”  
“I just said I would, sheesh. Hard to believe that you’ve been a…”  
“Don’t say it, please! I keep getting told how we aren’t supposed to be able to even work together, never mind be both!”  
“Alright, alright.” Ashlea laughed at her friend’s concern. It was always amusing to see Aurora freak out about silly things and then act like big things were no big deal. “Come on, I’ll take you through the city, give you a tour, and show you to Unicorn Way. Sound good?”  
Aurora’s smile returned. “Just call me Alura.”   
“Right. Let’s see if you can get things to chill out on that street. The monsters are all low level, but man are they annoying.”  
“Right.”  
Ashlea led her through the town, just as she promised. They checked out a few shops nearby and even the fountain. Ashlea was happy to see Aurora laugh. She hadn’t heard her laugh in ages. The last time she had seen Aurora, she had seemed… dark… as though the cold city of Marelybone was getting to her, what with her guardian always off on a case or something.  
As they entered the street of Unicorn Way, after giving a note from the headmaster to the guard, Ashlea noticed Aurora’s gaze harden as soon as she saw the monster covered streets. There were ghosts going around the front of the street, but farther back, Ashlea knew that there were dark fairies and skeleton pirates. Ashlea wondered how her old friend would deal with them if she had just come back from her own pirate life. Aurora took a deep breath and checked her spell deck for the fifth time that day. She didn’t have many cards, but it would be enough for this low of a danger level group.  
“Now, Aurora, I know that you’re new to spell casting, but trust me it’s…” Aurora had already rushed off though, much to Ashlea’s amusement. Ashlea smirked. “Guess you already have an idea on what to do.” She looked over to a nearby gazebo and decided to sit there and read while her best friend practiced her spells. She already seemed to have a knack for them. “Let’s see what else you’ve done, Aurora.”


	4. Chapter 4

Captain’s log: Day 7  
Managed to work out how to drive my ship, if you can even call it one. Off to Blood Shoals after a traitorous Pi-rat that is trying to find some treasure that Avery wants. My mentor pointed me in the right direction when she wanted me to meet Sarah Steele, a dear old friend of hers. Sarah joined my crew after we saved her from Ratbeard’s goons.   
On our way to meet someone in Jonas Town, who might have some ideas on where to go. I also apparently got a pirate name. I’m now known as Stormy Aurora Dove. Frankly, it’s just me adding Stormy to my name since Uncle Milo said that my name was Aurora Dove.  
Day 12  
Took us a while, but we finally made our way to Jonas Town… it’s on the back of a whale… and if that’s not bad enough, the town of Gullet, where the Frogfather lives is in its … well… its gullet. Yeah… not fun. I’m surprised Pinocchio isn’t down there. Anyway, turns out, Frogfather knows who my mother was… and he has her ship… my mom was a pirate of some sort. He doesn’t know who my father is though. Still… it’s something. Oh, and now I have a mission from the Frogfather. He says he’ll give me my mother’s ship, repaired from a storm apparently, if I do a job for him. I gotta steal some spices from some monkeys near Pirate Island on some sort of outpost.  
Yeah, I’m hoping Bones doesn’t look in on my work. He sent me a response that says he’s fine with that so long as I stay out of trouble. I’m working on writing this as we sail the spiral on a wreck that has no business flying. I’m going to say that “It’s me, I’m not trouble” and hope he buys it. My mom was a pirate… who knew… maybe uncle Milo did… I wonder what Ash will think of all of this. TTYL.


	5. Chapter 5

Ashlea looked up from the book to check on Alura Dusksong, as her best friend was now going by. She smirked. Her own original name had been Ashlea Stone. Adding the fire part was just how she could show which school she specialized in. She smirked as Aurora put her pirate skills to good use by dodging some of the attacks from some pirate skeletons. There was a crowd starting to gather to watch her as she barely managed to jump out of the way. She closed the book and joined the crowd, wondering if Alura had slipped into this “Stormy” Aurora Dove she had just read about. She grinned as she saw Alura jump in the air and use an icy blast as though she had been practicing that simple spell all her life. Though the moves were pirate, the means of attack and defense were wizard.  
She landed in a crouching position, holding her small icy wand like a staff or sword, keeping it far enough away that it was still a threat, but close enough that it was like an extension of her own arm. She stood up, her glasses glinting in the light of her wand and the midday sun. Her black hat had fallen off in the battle. She walked over and picked it up as the skeleton pirate crumbled to dust. “Well… that was easy.” She gathered the dust for an assignment from one of the nearby people she was helping and smirked in Ashlea’s direction. The brown skinned Pyromancer just chuckled as she nodded and followed her pale friend. “I think next was some skeleton in a tower?”  
“Yeah, he keeps regenerating because we’re just supposed to lock him in the tower. Great for a first… boss battle I guess? You know from those RPG games we used to play as kids?”  
“Yeah, I remember those. I always wanted to be the healer and you always wanted to be the fighter. Looks like we’re both magic users instead.” Alura chuckled as they made their way down Unicorn Way. They stayed out of the majority of the battles by staying on the sidewalk.  
“Yeah, but Life students can heal, so you could have gone in for that.”  
“I tried. My soul’s magic is Ice though. Irony of Ironies, considering who my folks are.”  
“You mean you know who they are now?”  
“No. I know who they were. How far d’ya get?”  
“You met a mob boss?” Ashlea chuckled with a smirk.  
Alura grimaced. “Yeah, and his nephew’s one of my gang now if ya catch my driftwood.” She chuckled at her weak attempt of a joke.  
Ashlea rolled her eyes. “Should I continue?”  
“Reading, yes. Putting up with my bad puns? I don’t know, that one’s up to how everything goes. This is it.” Alura pointed to a tall tower that seemed to be glowing red. “I love how my jobs that have to do with buildings make the lights shine too much. Is it always like this?”  
“Yep. Darn useful if we’re stuck in a city. You see Bones recently?”  
“No… you?”  
“Nope. I sent him a letter though.”  
“Same. He respond?”  
“Yeah. Said to keep a look out for you if I spotted ya.”  
“Ditto. Once I get the pass to go to Marelybone, I think I’ll stop in for a visit. I actually miss him… and the old place.”  
“I bet you do. We’ll go together. I can turn in my assignments anytime I wish once I have them. Some of them take as long as a year to finish.”  
“Let’s hope I don’t take that long to get to Marelybone. Wish me luck.”  
“You don’t want me following you in?”  
“Nope. My fight. Read some more. I found Uncle Milo by the way.”  
Ashlea’s eyes widened in shock. “You’re kidding!” Alura shook her head as she pushed open the door.  
“I’ll be back soon. Read what ya can if ya want.” Alura smirked as Ashlea noticed her glasses change. They were now a set of ski goggles with silver snowflakes on the side.  
“Right.”


	6. Chapter 6

Day 20  
Took us forever to sneak up to the post. I’m not good yet. I don’t know why Bonnie Anne, Sarah Steele, and Sabudai, who is now my first mate, still hang out with me. Oh, right. Took a pit stop at Pirate Island, also known as Skull Island, and learned some new moves from not only my teach, but some of the others as well. I learned a particularly useful move from the Witchdoctor, Madame Zabina. She taught me that even pirates have wizardry in them. I learned a spell that would fit in with the school of death that Ashlea told me about. It allows me to summon some ghosts to defend my crew and attack a single enemy each time I use it. I personally don’t find any joy in it, but I need to protect my crew. They’ve taken to listening to what I have to say as though I’m never wrong. It’s weird. I don’t really think anyone but Ashlea listened to me like this and even she knows when to argue with me. I don’t tell them much about my life from before, but they don’t seem to care anyway. Or at least they aren’t concerned with it.  
Oh, right, I was going to talk about getting the spices from those monkeys… yeah, we almost got caught there. Thankfully, Sarah, being a higher skilled swashbuckler than me, had an illusion spell on her. Apparently, pirates can do different types of magic based off their schools, just like wizards.   
Anyway, we managed to sneak in to where the spices were stashed, but something else was kept there too, or should I say, someone! Chained up in an old cell was what looked like an old rat with thinning fur and torn clothes. Though it had been years since he’d obviously seen the light of day, I will admit that I was shocked to see him or that he recognized me after all these years.  
“Well what do you know... A little light dove found her way to me. How ya doing, Aurora?” Light bird of peace is the translation of my name, Aurora Dove. I can’t begin to describe the shock that went through me. I felt something snap in me, seeing one of the closest things I have to family chained up as a prisoner. I ran to the cell and started picking it with my dagger that I had recently gained, as though I knew how to pick a lock. I shouted an order to Bonnie Anne to keep lookout while Sabudai grabbed the spices. Sarah helped me to pick the lock and give Milo some yum-yum juice. Apparently, it’s a cure all that was made by some guy named Captain Gun or something. We sent Milo out through the exit first so he could take a faster ship to Gullet and let the Frogfather know we had his spices. I will admit, I was shocked at Milo’s response. It was “Ay aye, Cap’n!” He called me captain! As though he’s one of my crew members. Mind you, I wouldn’t mind having him around more, but I can’t be his boss! I’m way younger than him! Isn’t there some sort of rule about bossing family around?  
Day 26  
It took forever to catch up to that dumb whale again. Ugh. Anyway, helped some fishermen pelicans on our way in and then made our way back to the Frogfather. Uncle Milo was waiting with the Frogfather in his office along with a younger frog that I would know to be Tricky Vinnie, the sharpshooter frog of the Frogfather’s mob, as well as the old frog’s nephew.  
I helped Sabudai and Sarah carry in the spices while Bonnie Anne looked menacingly at any nearby folks who looked like they were gonna give us a hard time. The Frogfather was so pleased that he said he’d like to do further business with me in the future. He also handed me a note to allow me to get ahold of my mother’s ship, the Shining Viper. Turns out, he had another favor to ask of me. He asked me to take on his nephew, Vinnie, into my crew. Said that the experience would do him some good. I accepted him onto my crew along with Uncle Milo. I was actually grateful for the support. The Frogfather then took me aside and told me that I was just like my mother. I will admit, I think I was blushing when he said this. He said that I was as pretty as a pearl and smarter than most pirates. I had to tell him that I was raised in Marelybone by a genius, but I didn’t tell him which one. He simply nodded and laughed. “That explains why you’re so good at business.” He said as he handed me a little more than what we bargained for. I was surprised and a little annoyed. I don’t like getting what I didn’t earn. He reassured me that it was repayment for us having to fight our way to meet him earlier. I guess that's okay.  
I checked out the captain’s cabin after I was sure the crew would be comfortable in their barracks under the deck. Sabudai took the wheel and started us back to Skull Island to restock before we start towards the Flotsam Skyways after Ratbeard. I had to clean it up but Milo was nice enough to help me, along with Sarah. Sarah kept muttering about how abnormal of a captain I was. I just shrugged it off though. I’ve always known I wasn’t normal. While we were cleaning, I found an old picture that was obviously used like a dart board.  
He was a dapper young man with… did I seriously just write dapper? I’ve been hanging out in Marleybone too long. Anyway, the guy was obviously a wizard, which confused me because at the same time the picture had been abused, it had obviously been taken care of as well. He had dark brown hair that was almost black and he wore red robes and had a tall staff with a ruby in it. His dark brown eyes had a childish look in them… sorta like an adult who never really grew up. . . Ashlea would be laughing at me for writing this. I sound like Bones really did train me to take his place instead of just survive the city. UGH! Anyway, I showed the picture to Milo since he had known my mother and had originally been on her crew, figured that out when the Frogfather told me to add him to my crew. Milo gave me an explanation after no one else was in the cabin with us.  
He said that the wizard’s name was David Rubywielder. He was some sort of Pyromancer that my mother had fallen for. Her name had been Ruthless Jennifer Dove, but when she wasn’t stealing from other pirates, she was called Jennifer StormDove. Nice legacy, huh? My old man is apparently that wizard and my ma was a fierce pirate queen of sorts. My luck.  
After a quick search around, Milo found a picture of my mother as well. She was a dark brown hair too and her eyes had a dangerous gleam in them instead of childish like my father’s. From what Milo said, the two of them seemed to be complete opposites. Who knows what they saw in each other. I asked him why a wizard would even date a pirate… I had to ask what kind of pirate my mother was as well… apparently she was a witchdoctor pirate, which explains how Madame Zabina knows her. Magic sounds like the only thing these two had in common other than me… why am I blonde when they’re brown haired and brown eyed? Maybe they were carriers for the genetic traits… CONGRATS, BONES! I STILL REMEMBER YOUR LESSONS ON GENETICS! I’M GONNA BE THE SMARTEST PIRATE EVER CAUSE I CAN’T FORGET WHAT YOU TAUGHT ME!   
I hope he’s okay too… I miss him. I miss Ashlea… why couldn’t I be a wizard? Then I’d at least see them more often. I feel drained. I’m… I’m not supposed to exist. Pirates and wizards aren’t supposed to mix… I’m dangerous. That’s why I’m so good at that witchdoctor spell I learned. I have magic in my blood. Why couldn’t I be a normal wizard? Or pirate? Why did my parents have to be both. I can’t. It’s no fair.


	7. Chapter 7

Ashlea looked up from her reading when Alura stepped out of the tower. She looked a little bruised, but other than that, she was fine. “I wonder what that bone bag would think if I introduced him to my crew’s witchdoctor? He might think twice before trying to reform himself and cause trouble.” She muttered as she locked the door of the tower behind her. “On the skyways, if I knock something down, he doesn’t come back to bug me… okay, maybe their ghosts came back that once but still… I wasn’t the one to kill them…” She continued muttering as she checked her satchel for all her gear. She had a dark black satchel with a large blue snowflake on it.  
“You okay?”  
“Yeah. I’m fine. He wasn’t that hard. I just had some issues with his black fairy friends. I should report that those looked too light to have been born like that.”  
“Really?” Ashlea looked up in shock. She hadn’t noticed that. She looked around at the surrounding black fairies and gasped as she realized her blonde friend was right. “Oh my gosh! We have to tell the headmaster!”  
“Way ahead of ya, Ash.” She looked at her map and took a deep breath. She needed to chart out the fastest route back to the commons.  
“Forget that!” Ashlea grabbed Aurora and pulled out her wand. “Hang on. Teleport: Commons!” After a bright flash of fiery light, the two girls found themselves in the commons in front of the Headmaster’s castle. They ran inside where other students were reporting in on their own assignments and work as well as getting registered. “Headmaster Ambrose!”  
“Hmm? Oh, Ash Firestone, and… um… sorry, new students tend to slip my mind.” Merle Ambrose was an old wizard with a long white beard, a set of spectacles resting on his nose and a blue outfit with silver stars on it. Rumor had it that he had mastered all branches of magic save for necromancy.  
“It’s fine. I’m Alura Dusksong. We have some urgent news for you.” Alura explained what she had discovered about the fairies on Unicorn Way.  
“Oh my… this is serious. Thank you for telling me, young wizard. We shall look into it. For now, you two should go and do your other tasks. Be sure to let me know if something else comes up.”  
As the two of them left the tower, Alura started kicking pebbles. “Frostbite.”  
“You okay?”  
“Yeah, I’m fine.”  
“Listen, he’s not ignoring you or anything, he’s just…”  
“Busy? Yeah, I know. I’ve been meeting up with leaders from all over the spiral. I know how to tell if someone’s hands are tied. He’s trying to keep the students from panicking, but he’ll go and send a message to the instructors with the theory that I stated.”  
“You understood all that?” Ashlea smirked. It had taken her a whole year to figure out what was up with her headmaster.  
“How far’d ya get?”  
“Your last name should be Rubywielder.”  
“Ah, yeah… my old man… keep hearing things about him… and mom…” Alura sighed and grabbed her task journal to look for her next job. “I gotta check out someplace called ‘Triton Ave.’ Know it?” She smirked at Ashlea.  
“That’s like asking Bones if he knows Marleybone like the back of his paw.” Ashlea laughed. “Let’s go.”  
The two wizards made their way past Old Towne and its bazaar. Alura waved excitedly at someone on one of the ships that was docked for trading. Old Towne was one of the few areas where pirates and wizards wouldn’t cause a ruckus being in the same area. Ashlea wondered who exactly she was waiving at until she noticed an old rat heading towards them. He smiled as he walked up to the young ladies. “Well I’ll be… you actually found Milo.”  
“Didn’t you read that part?”  
“Yeah, but I thought…”  
“Hehe, don’t underestimate me on this stuff.” She then looked at her godfather, as the rat really was, and smiled. “Hey, Uncle Milo. How’s it going?”  
“Going well enough, Aurora. Hello, Ashlea. It’s been a while.”   
“Yeah, it has… nice to see you again.” Ashlea smiled as well.  
“Where are you two off to this time? Off to cause more trouble I’d wager?” He put his paws on his hips and pretended to act like he was scolding two youngsters.  
“Uncle Milo!” Aurora gave off a slightly whiny voice as she laughed. She knew he was just teasing them.  
“Hehe, no worries, Aurora. So, where are ya heading?”  
“Alura here needs to go and get some stuff done on Triton Ave. What are you doing?”  
“Oh, we’re just going to sell some of our wares and then go and do some of our own missions while the Cap’ n’s working on her new skills.” He winked while Aurora grimaced.  
“You mean you’re going to leave her here?”  
“Only for about a month or two. We’ll be back soon enough. If she needs us, or the other way around, we have our ways of communicating now.” He then reached into his bag that he had tied to his belt. He pulled out two necklaces. “Hehe, I actually left to go and find these last time. Your mothers were best friends, though your mums kept eachother out of their usual activities.” He winked once more as he gave Ashlea the necklace with a red stone in the center. “Your mum got this when she started going to school to be a wizard. I’m sure if you show it to her, she’ll recognize it.” He then handed Aurora the necklace with a blue gem. “Your mum got this just afore you were born, light dove. She said she had a feeling you’d be special. She’s right.” Aurora felt tears well up in her eyes as she put the necklace on.  
“Thanks… Uncle Milo…”  
Milo smiled kindly to the young duo, predicting in his mind a team of amazing potential like none had ever seen before. “No problem, dears. Now, I gotta get going. Sabudai ‘ll throw a fit if I’m not helping get the ship ready to go. You don’t want to be on his bad side what with that new sword of his.”  
“Remember to do only tasks that you guys need to have done on your own. I don’t want you guys doing anything else too dangerous without me. The map can wait for a few months… right?”  
“Right.”  
After the rat pirate left towards the ship, Ashlea looked towards her solemn friend with a raised eyebrow. “Map?”  
“I’ve been dealing with… treasure hunters… not fun. It’s later on in the log. Shouldn’t we get going?”  
“Right. To Triton Ave.”  
It didn’t take long after that to get to Triton Avenue, as it was just a little further away. Ashlea sat down on a bench as her friend started picking fights with the undead. The way she battled them made it seem like she understood them and what they were thinking.  
Ashlea smirked and decided to keep reading. ‘What else do you know… Stormy Aurora Dove.’


	8. Chapter 8

Day 40  
Okay, so today was really weird. I ended up almost killed by zombies, ran around to different gravestones all because of Captain Gunn’s treasure, and my crew nearly lost our life cuz of some shaman, and in the end… I did something crazy.  
I invited Old Scratch, the skeleton Witch Doctor to join my crew. Or rather, I accepted his offer to join. I’m not sure what I’m thinking anymore…  
Day 57  
Okay, so allowing Old Scratch to join wasn’t such a crazy move. Not only has he proven himself loyal, he’s also proven himself useful. We found where the treasure was supposed to be, but someone beat us. So… Old Scratch called up the soul of Captain Gunn himself and he told us that Ratbeard had taken the treasure with the help of watermoles. UGH! Now we have to go a volcano island to fight for the gold, ugh.  
Day 65  
Another crazy decision brought up by Stormy Aurora Dove! I accepted Ratbeard onto my team. We had to rescue him from the watermoles. We climbed a stinking volcano, battled over four dozen of the darn creatures, fought their majorly overgrown champion and his voodoo totems that gave him bonus power, and cut down the overgrown rat from the rope he was tied to. Oh, did I mention that his crew is dead? We found them dead in the cave where they had their last meal. Turns out, he didn’t know. He had meant to put them to sleep, yes, but only the kind that was long enough for him to cheat them out of their part of the treasure, not to kill them. I took him on my crew so that I’d be able to keep an eye on him as well as help him find out who the heck killed his crew. The irony is that he used to be the captain of his own ship, and now he’s following my orders, and I’m still a newbie at this. I don’t know what to think. I’m a pirate captain and people who have been doing this longer than me are on my crew, but apparently I’m a good leader… yeah, I’m not buying that either. I have to set course for Skull Island again now. I need to return something to Avery that was in the pile of gold… some sort of cup or something.  
Day 89  
Well that’s annoying. It took us longer than usual to get back to Skull Island. Reason? Avery thought we had died, so he sent out word that we knew about a map to El Dorado. I’ve heard of the place, but still! We managed to finish off the fight quickly and then headed back to Avery. We gave him the cup, he gave a fake apology for using us as an escape goat. I’m surprised that Ratbeard actually agreed with the others about it not being cool to use me as an escape goat. Apparently, the pirates weren’t interested in my crew. Go fig. Anyway, now I have to go to Puerto Mico or something to meet some stupid monkeys and try to make a peace treaty between them and Skull Island.


	9. Chapter 9

Ashlea looked up in amusement as Aurora sat herself down beside her. “Having a good time, Alura?”  
Alura smirked. “Yeah. By the way, apparently these guys drop items as well?”  
“Yeah, what’d ya get?”  
“Some new robes and a hood… and some other things too.”  
“Want to try it out?”  
“Yeah. Where can I change?”  
“Just tap it with your wand and it’ll change your clothes.”  
“I end up in my underwear because of you, I’m zapping you next.”  
“Hehe, you worry too much. Just try it.”  
Alura rolled her eyes and tapped the outfit pieces that she wanted. She was surprised when they just appeared on her and the other pieces appeared in her bag. “Okay, I’m impressed. Wizard magic is cool.” She was now wearing a white set of wizard robes with a white hood and a white cape with light blue trimming and some bright white boots, all with light blue trimming.  
“You doubted?”  
“With you doing it? No. Me? Yes.” She chuckled. “You know I was only good at getting us in trouble.”  
“That’s not true at all, now what’s next?” Ashlea grimaced as she realized her friend had some issues in self doubt.  
“I got told to check up on the Gryphonbane siblings. Something’s up apparently.”  
“They’re just down the road. Let’s go. Susie is usually just down this way. She likes studying the ghouls near the falls and look in on the Kraken battles.”  
As they walked down the street, Alura would sometimes deviate from the safe path to help another newbie wizard, increasing her own control of her powers as well. Ashlea smirked. She didn’t mind. As she kept taking the chances to read what her friend had done. She followed her friend’s adventures through the Flotsam Skyways and to the lands of the Monquisition. She read how her friend saved many people of many races even though she was a pirate. One of the most amusing times was when the Monquisition tried to double cross her. She had not taken kindly to that. She also explained how she had two members on her team that were Monquistan but had decided that she was in the right.  
As Ashlea read on, she started realizing that her best friend had taken on the motherly role of protector though she had never experienced that herself before. Aurora was still as much a mystery as she had been five years ago when they had last met. She had a feeling that her old friend was still hiding mysteries under her cloak.  
“Oh no.” Aurora muttered as they approached a young girl who was crying. She had brown hair in pigtails and a purple outfit. “What’s wrong?” Aurora asked in her kindest voice. She sounded almost like a mother trying to soothe a child.  
“My brother went to check out the Haunted Cave, but he never came back. I asked another wizard to help me, but they only came back with his broken wand and… and…”  
“And the wizard ran off screaming for the hills?” Ashlea supplied, knowing what Aurora was thinking. “Don’t worry Susie, Alura and I will find him.”  
“You will?”  
Alura grinned like a Cheshire cat. “We’ll have him back by supper. Let’s go, Ash.” Alura ran off towards the teleport stones that would bring her farther along the avenue.  
“Wait up, Alura!” Ashlea shouted as she chased her friend. ‘This must be what Watson feels like when Bones is on a case… Aurora picked up way too much from him.’  
“Come on, Ash, the game’s afoot!”  
‘yeah, way too much…’


	10. Chapter 10

Just as the girls were about to reach the teleporter, a death student stopped them from going farther towards the cave. “Whoa there. Where do you two think you’re going?”  
“Out of our way, Duncan. Susie’s brother’s missing and we have to find him.”  
Duncan was a brown skinned boy wearing dark black and white robes and carried a staff. He looked way over confident in his abilities. “Help me and I might be able to help you.”  
“Did you have a hand in the boy’s disappearance?” Alura glared, seeming to freeze the boy’s very soul.  
“N… no… who is this, Ash Firestone?”  
“This is my friend, Alura Dusksong. She’s a new thaumaturge, and not one you want to mess with.”  
“Funny, I was going to say that about you, Ash.” Alura smirked. They always played each other up to make themselves sound more dangerous. “Let’s go.”  
“Hey, wait!” The two girls looked back with peeved looks. “Alright, fine, I’ll tell you though, you need my help to defeat the Harvest Lord.”  
“The what?” Alura looked unimpressed.  
Ash rolled her eyes. “The Harvest Lord is an overgrown scarecrow that needs to be put in his place. Think you can handle making your way there while I help him real quick? I promise, I’ll be there to help, just don’t go in without me.”  
Alura thought about it and then nodded. “Right. Meet you at the tower. I’ll pick a few fights along the way for the practice.”  
“Just don’t do anything reckless. I don’t want to explain to Bones why his ward got buried by a zombie grave digger.”  
Alura laughed as she ran off down the street. “See ya at the tower, Ash.”


	11. Chapter 11

Alura ran past the bridge and towards the back of the streets. She made her way past scarlet screamers as well as other ghouls and monsters. After a few minutes, she found a large foreboding cave near the back of the streets. The gate to it seemed to have been torn off or something. Alura glared and instinctively reached towards her dagger, forgetting that she had no sword at the moment. When she felt the hilt of the dagger, she moved the hand to her mother’s necklace. She touched the small sapphire in it and then started off through the cave. She took deep breaths as the darkness came closing in on her. ‘Wish I had a lantern on me… maybe Ash will find me…’  
As she continued walking, she noticed flashes of lights from other spell casters. Alura’s eyes sparked as an idea came to her. She pulled out her wand and activated a small light spell that she had picked up from the fire professor, Falmea.  
“I was wondering when you’d activate that spell.” Alura jumped at the sudden appearance of the voice and turned, ready to cast the first spell that came to mind, which at that moment was to summon an ice snake. “Easy, Aurora, it’s just me.”  
Alura dimmed the light a little and let out a small “OH!” in shock. Ashlea was standing there behind her and her fiery colored robes were glowing. “Oh-my-gosh-oh-my-gosh-oh-my-gosh! I am so sorry, Ash!”  
“Easy, easy, it’s fine. Let’s go. Artur won’t wait forever.” The young Pyromancer led the way down the path that had been laid in the dark haunted cave. “This place used to be a part of Wizard City too, ya know.”  
“Actually, I didn’t. What happened?”  
“The Harvest Lord and the undead. They took over. It was before I got here. Mom said that it had been this way for a while.”  
“How is your mom?”  
“She’s fine. She thinks that I should add some variety to my life though. Don’t know what she means though.”  
“Tell ya what. When my crew comes back, I’ll let ya come along on one of our adventures. Might as well, right? I mean, that’s variety.”  
“Ha! If that works out then maybe we both can be pirate wizards.”  
“Eh, we’ve done weirder, haven’t we?”  
“No… but we’ve seen weirder.”  
“That’s the spirit, Ash.” After a few more minutes, Alura and Ashlea made it to the edge of the cave that had some natural light in it from the outside, like a cavern entrance or something. “Okay, tall tower on a patch of land that looks like it’s gonna fall into the dark water, so… I’m impressed.”  
“You impress way too easily.”  
“Do not. Try traveling to Sivella, the land of the unicorns? The library there is amazing… when the armada isn’t destroying it…”  
“You want to go back?”  
“Ha, not really, I want to go and stop Kane and the armada, but that’s it.”  
“Kane?”  
“I’ll explain later.” The two of them nodded and started towards the door. “Let’s kick some Harvest Lord… yeah, that’s too weird of a name. What is he, anyway?”  
“An overgrown scarecrow. No worries.”  
“Right. You burn, I’ll keep our defenses up.”


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning, Ash has a bit of a potty mouth, so if you don't wanna hear it, don't read it.

“I DON’T FUCKING BELIEVE IT!” Ashlea yelled as the two of them finished searching the tower. It was empty. The Harvest Lord was nowhere in sight and Alura cringed at the loud shout of her friend.  
“Take it easy, Ash. Let me check the map. I think someone told me that it’ll update where everyone is when I ask where they are.”  
Ashlea took a deep breath and sighed. “Sorry, it’s just, he’s not supposed to leave the haunted cave, and kidnapping a wizard, even just a kid, is against the treaty. Wizard City has a treaty with that creep and he’s not… ugh.”  
“It’s fine. According to this, he’s actually just outside of the cave in another tower on Triton Avenue.”  
“WHAT!”  
“Ash, please, calm down. Look, let’s go, alright? I’m sure that we’ll still be fine.”  
The two girls make their way out of the cave and towards a tower with a red glow. “How did we miss this?” Ashlea grumbled.  
“It is just across the way from the cave… I’m not sure. Eh, let’s go in.” Alura knocked on the door with her wand. “Whoops.” It turned to ice and cracked. “Guess we can go in.” She smirked.  
“Right.” They walked in and immediately, Alura felt sick. She clutched her stomach and grimaced as she glared towards the stairs. “You okay?”  
“This guy’s necromancy is stronger than Old Scratch, and that guy is an undead skeleton, Ash. Do you think we can handle this?”  
Ashlea looked at her like she was insane. “This coming from you?” Ashlea shook her head and smirked. “We’ll be fine. He’s usually a weakling anyway. Let’s go.”  
“Right…”  
They reached the tower and the two leaned against the door as the giant scarecrow made a stupid speech about taking over Wizard City with the help of Malistare. Alura glanced at Ashlea for an explanation while the creep kept talking.  
“He was the professor of the Death School until his wife, Sylvia, the old Life teacher, died of a flu or something. He hasn’t been the same since. Rumor has it, he’s after something. Not sure what.” Ash whispered to her icy friend. Alura nodded slowly as the scarecrow rapped up his speech.  
Alura looked up to the Harvest Lord and faked a yawn. “Can we get this started? I’ve got some spells to learn if I want to catch up to my friend here, and I’m already going to be late for Tea back in Marelybone.”  
“You don’t drink tea, Alura.” Ashlea chuckled as the two of them got into a battle position. Artur was sitting in a cage in the back of the room. “So, what do you think?”  
“I think we need to heat things up a bit.” She pulled out a card that had come with her wand. It was a spell card. “FIRE CAT!” She waved her wand like the instructions on the card and suddenly heard a fizzle. “Oh Frostbite.”  
“Don’t worry, I’ve got it.” Ashlea summoned a fire elf that shot an arrow at the straw figure. The Harvest lord flinched as he felt the arrow’s burn.  
“Foolish wizards, your weak spells won’t stop me!”  
“He’s a diviner! He’s weak to myth magic!” Artur shouted over the rumble of the magic that was happening in the room. The Harvest Lord summoned a storm snake.  
Alura and Ashlea did a quick tuck and roll out of the way. “I only got one myth spell! Ash?”  
“I’ve got two!”  
“Let’s see what we got!”  
“RIGHT!” The two of them summoned a pair of bloodbats each.  
The bats did have a boost against the large scarecrow, but they were still weak leveled spells. Alura growled as she was hit by a dark fairy spell. She used her wand like a bat and hit the fairy right back at the Harvest Lord.  
“Ash, your other spell!”  
“Right! Summon Troll!” Suddenly, a large troll appeared with club. He scratched his head. Ashlea frowned and pointed towards the scarecrow. “Have fun.” The troll grinned and ran to the scarecrow. He raised his club and brought it down with a mighty heave, attempting to smash the scarecrow. He only succeeded in a glancing blow. The spell troll was shattered in a few minutes though.  
In that amount of time, Alura had managed to summon up some shields and defenses for the two of them. She had also managed to summon two ice snakes.  
“He can’t have much more. Alura, what else ya got?” Ashlea asked as the two of them were backed into a corner.  
“Just a treasure card or two and some other low level spells. You?”  
“Nothing that I’ve been able to perfect yet. Oh, wait! I do have something! Shield your eyes!” Ashlea raised her wand as it expanded into a staff of dragons. “Here’s the birdie!” A firebird rose up from the sparks of her staff and glared at the harvest lord. Alura and Artur both shielded their eyes as the bird burst into flames and dived at the Harvest Lord.  
The Harvest Lord screamed as the intensity from the firebird turned it to ashes and cinders. Ashlea was panting heavily by the end of the spell. Alura opened her eyes and grabbed her friend as she fell. “Ashlea!”  
“I’m fine… I have to use my energy to charge up some of those spells. It’s what makes being a wizard dangerous… haven’t you noticed being tired?”  
“Not really. I think it has something to do with how I spent the last four years. You have to remember, I do a few spells as well.”  
“Right… I’ll be fine though, get Artur out of that cell… if you can…” Aurora helped her friend to sit down on a chair and then walked over to the cage.  
“It’ll be a snap. I’ve been dealing with locks like this since I ran into Uncle Milo. This is no probs.” She took out her icy dagger that she had found on her pirate journeys and started to use it to pick the lock. “Just give me a few minutes.” She started turning the dagger like an expert, confusing the young wizard in the cage.  
“Why not just blast it with a spell?”  
“Because, kid, I don’t know what kind of magic is on this thing, but I do know that in a city full of wizards, no one will suspect the old lock pick with a dagger trick. You pick up quite a few things out in the spiral.” She smirked as the lock snapped open from her careful touch. “Done.” She opened the cage and the younger boy walked out.  
“Thanks. Where’d ya learn a trick like that?”  
“Hehe, let me keep a few secrets, kid. You Artur Gryphonbane?”  
“Yeah. Why?”  
“You sister’s worried about you.”  
“OMG!” He ran off down the stairs after grabbing a wand from a collection of wands that were hanging in the room. Apparently, they were trophies of some sort. Alura rolled his eyes as the boy ran off.  
Alura walked back over to Ashlea and checked her over. The two of them had a few scrapes from the fight, but for the most part, they seemed fine. “You okay now?”  
“Yeah, you?” Ashlea stood up with a smile.  
“Hehe, yeah. Just like old times.”  
“Yeah, only we were fighting cats with your wooden sword and my slingshot.”  
“True, but eh, at least we made sure that our houses were safe when the adults were busy.”  
“Yeah, those were the days.”  
“You remember how we met?”  
“How could I forget?”  
Ashlea just kept smiling as they left the tower and made their way to the Commons. She found it ironic that she was fire and her best friend was ice, but at the same time, it was fitting. Aurora was always defensive of her as a child and Ashlea was always ready to take the fight to the next step if someone was picking on Aurora. It was amazing to think of how far they had come since the day they had met.  
It was a dark evening in Marelybone and the fog was rolling in. Ashlea was on her way home with her mother, Melody Stone. They had been shopping in the market place. Ashlea suddenly sensed something and clung to her mother tighter. Melody had also sensed something. She raised up a shield as fast as she could, barely managing to block an attack from some cat thugs. “Stay behind me, Ashlea.”  
Melody cast a few defensive wards and then start shooting different beams at the thugs. Suddenly there was the sound of a gunshot. Melody kept her concentration on the thugs and her daughter, but Ashlea’s eyes widened as two dogs and a little human kid wearing a black outfit that was similar to the tall dog’s outfit came towards them. The tall dog and the human were wearing trench coats and deerstalkers. There was also a shorter dog that was taller than the child. He was dressed like a doctor.  
“Good evening, Ms. Stone.” The tall canine said. Marelybone was home to many canines.  
“Good evening, Mr. Bones, Doctor Watson. Who’s this?”  
“My ward, Ms. Dove, and this is?”  
It amazed Ashlea that these adults were having a casual conversation in the middle of a battle. “My daughter, Ashlea Stone. She’s only three, but she’s already showing signs of how smart she is.”  
“As is Ms. Dove, unfortunately. It proves to be quite troublesome at times. Ms. Dove, if you’d be so kind as to guard Ms. Stone, we’ll dispatch these ruffians.” The child nodded and ran to Ashlea.  
“Um… hi…” Ashlea squeaked in a scared voice. The other girl grimaced and reached a hand into her pocket. “Who are you?”  
“Name’s Aurora, Aurora Dove.” She had on a Marelybone accent like Mr. Bones, only it was definitely more feminine, and younger. “Here.” She handed Ashlea a slingshot and a bag of stones as she drew a wooden sword from her coat. “I’ll defend you, but you gotta shoot the big mean cats away from everyone, deal?”  
Ashlea looked at the slingshot she had just been handed and then at Aurora. Something about the young blonde made her feel confident. She smirked as she loaded up the slingshot. “Let’s play.”  
Ashlea smirked as she remembered the evening fondly. Since that night, the two of them had done almost everything together. All up until Ashlea had discovered her wizarding powers.  
It had been on one of their nightly runs. They were about thirteen years old, the year before Aurora went missing in fact. Aurora was with her wooden sword, as usual, and Ashlea had her slingshot. They were checking out a rumor about kids going missing and only ransom notes to a mysterious “Kit-Napper” were found. Aurora and Ashlea had friends who lived on the streets and went missing. Bones was busy and Melody wasn’t hearing a thing of it, neither were the police though. The girls had decided to take it into their own hands.  
They had found the cat committing the crimes with his hostages all trapped in cages. Aurora and Ashlea worked together to get the kids out and had almost escaped unnoticed, had it not been for one of the kids sneezing. Aurora made the Baker St. Irregulars that usually reported to her and Ashlea; lead the kids out of there while they held off the mad cat. Ashlea kept letting pebbles fly and was soon finding herself letting out fireballs in her anger. When the first fireball came towards Aurora and the cat, Aurora felt a shiver down her spine and dodged. The cat was not so lucky. “Keep it up, Ash. You’ve got him by the fur!” Aurora ran to Ashlea’s side to defend her from close combat, but it never came. The cat passed out, as did Ashlea. Aurora grabbed Ashlea and started to drag her out of the place. The irregulars had already gotten ahold of Bones and he had gotten, much to Aurora’s annoyance, Melody Stone. Aurora explained everything as best as she could when the police arrested the cat for kidnapping multiple children. Ashlea woke up shortly later, exclaiming that she felt dizzy.  
That had been the start of Ashlea’s schooling to become a Pyromancer, and Aurora’s life as a lonely orphan again. True, she still lived with Bones, but Ashlea saw her one more time before she disappeared and was shocked at the changes that had gone through her usually optimistic friend. Aurora had a hardened gaze, save for when talking to Ashlea, and her sword had obviously been used more for some reason. Aurora wouldn’t say why though.


	13. Chapter 13

The two made it back to the Headmaster’s castle and informed him of what they had learned. As Alura suspected, he said that he’d look into it, and for the girls not to worry about it. “Figures.”  
“Give him a break, Alura, he’s busy.”  
“I know, that’s why I’m not yelling at him.” She sighed. “I’m going to think of something.” She felt her spine shiver again and instinctively pulled her friend down as a spell shot over head.  
“How do you do that?”  
“Eh, I picked up some instinct.” Alura then checked her maps and quests list. “Looks like trouble on Firecat Alley, Cyclops Lane, and something’s going down in the Dark Cave that connects them. You in?”  
“Ha! Is Bones obsessed with putting Meowiarty in jail?”  
“Then what are we waiting for?”  
“You to decide where first.” Ashlea smirked.  
Alura blushed. “Right… how’s Firecat Alley tickle your fancy?”  
Ashlea blinked and face palmed herself. “Tickle your fancy? That’s it!” She grabbed Alura by the scruff of her robe’s collar. “We’re going to Firecat Alley and getting you to talk to normal people. How many of your crew did you tick off with this type of language?”  
“Not sure. Maybe all, maybe none. They never really questioned it because old Marelybone barely slips out anymore.” Alura managed as she was dragged unceremoniously through the town.  
“UGH! We’ll get you fixed soon enough, Alura. For now, we’ve got things to do.”  
“Right… can I get up and walk on my own now?”


	14. Chapter 14

Ashlea sat down on a nearby bench as Alura went to gather some materials for a pocket harpsicord, whatever that was. Apparently, a relic hunter wanted it. Alura did him the favor of getting the pieces because she had an excuse to battle the fire elves and the magma men that were running around. They were on Firecat Alley. Ashlea just took the battles as an excuse to read more. The more she read, the more amazed she was. Aurora had always had a knack for describing things, and the way she described each world was amazing. The latest entry was for Valencia, the land of the unicorns and of arts. Aurora sat down next to her friend, exhausted.  
“You okay?”  
“I’ve been working at this for days now.” Ashlea blinked. Sometimes she forgot that time was even a factor, since magic kept the world of Wizard City in the middle of the day for the most part. She looked at Aurora’s time watch that each student was supplied with. It read that she had been there for a total of ten days already.  
“Ah, jeez… sorry, Alura. Guess I forgot that you’d be stubborn to help people despite your exhaustion. You should have said something when your watch said it was past day one.”  
“Nah, that was when I was busy with that Rattlebones guy.”  
“Day three?”  
“Lady Black Hope.”  
Ashlea frowned. “Day five?”  
“I was busy with all those undead on Triton Ave.”  
“Day eight?”  
“We had to deal with the Harvest Lord and then made our way to Cyclops Lane, but we just walked during the ending of Day eight, we made our way through the dark cave and over to here to help with the fire elves. Day Nine was yesterday and that was when I was busy with those banshees and fighting that fire elf prince to break the curse on him and his people.” Alura gave a weak smirk. She then brought out a small flask that was supposedly filled with a health potion or water. She took a small sip, made a face at how bitter it was, and then looked rejuvenated. “That’s better.”  
“What was that?”  
“Yum.”  
“Yum?”  
“Made from the Yum fruit of Mooshu. Great for a pick me up, but tastes like soda…”  
“Right… and you still have issues with Soda?”  
“I DON’T UNDERSTAND IT! I mean, seriously! Why can’t I just be normal and like stuff like that? IT makes NO sense!” Aurora waived her hands about like a nutcase without hitting anyone. “WHY CAN’T I BE NORMAL???”  
Ashlea grimaced and rubbed Aurora’s head, ruffling her hair, as though she was a dog. Aurora seemed to calm down a bit. “It doesn’t matter. Let’s go check the mail after we’re done here. We can stay at my dorm and rest for a bit too, if you want. What’s the longest you’ve stayed up?”  
“This was it. I reached my limits and I’ve been sipping at my Yum since day three. I usually can get some sleep on my ship. My newest one is called the Rosa Angela. Nice big old ship with plenty of space.”  
“Cool… what happened to the Shining Viper?” The two girls stood up and started back towards Olde Town.  
“Oh I still have it, it’s just bottled up.”  
“… bottled up…?”  
“We gots magic.” Alura said in a crazy whisper like voice. Ashlea couldn’t help but laugh as Aurora smiled.  
“Okay, stupid question, got it. Hehe.”  
“Yep. So… after my crew comes back, you up for an adventure while these guys take care of Wizard City for a bit? Surely, you can ask to spend a month of the Skyways with me travelling around? I mean, you do traveling right? And you’ve done a lot around here…” Aurora tried to put in an argument to have her friend see life from her perspective. She knew it was a stretch, but she still wanted to at least try.  
Ashlea just laughed again as they entered the Olde Town district and led Aurora to the Post Office. “No problem. I’ve got some time, I’m sure.”  
“Great! Oh, I can’t wait! We could go meet my teacher, oh, or go challenge some armada robots to a fight! Or…”  
“Or we could look for the pieces of this map you need while doing all of that.”  
“Really? You don’t mind?”  
“I’ll try and keep up.” The two turned in their keys and received their mail.  
“Looks like Bones found out I was in the area… and a letter from Uncle Milo and the gang. You?”  
“Bones and mom.”  
The two used Ashlea’s teleportation spell to appear in her dorm. It was small and had a large bed with some decorations. “Nice room.”  
“Thanks, Aurora. So, shall we see what they’ve got to say?”  
“Yep. Bones first.” Aurora and Ashlea opened their envelopes at the same time and looked over the letters from the detective. “What’s he got for you?”  
“Keep an eye on you and stay safe. You?”  
“Ditto. Along with a ‘be careful’ about controlling my powers, because Ice is apparently dangerous just because it comes from the giants. Ha, like your dragon fire isn’t just as dangerous.”  
“Figures.”  
“Yeah.”  
Ashlea then opened her letter from her mother. “Mom says that if I see you, I should say hi for her. She also says that I’m supposed to work on balancing my powers with you. Think we can do it?”  
Aurora looked over to Ashlea and lowered her glasses slightly. “It’s us. We may not be Balance students, but we are good at making up for what the other lacks.”  
“True.” Ashlea smirked. “What’s up with your crew?”  
“Milo says that Sabudai will be bringing the ship around within the next few months. They’re finishing pretty quickly.”  
“I’ll join when you ship out.”  
“Really?”  
Ashlea smiled. “You’re teaching me to hold a sword.”  
“… and shoot a musket properly.” Aurora grinned. “So, what should we do in the meantime?”  
“Try and do some more of those quests you got. I’ll do what I can to figure out what’s going on here.” Aurora then yawned and Ashlea’s smile softened. “But first, let’s get some sleep.”  
“Right…”


	15. Chapter 15

When the two woke up, Alura checked her list of tasks that she needed to do. “I’ve gotta go check out some stuff on Cyclops Lane and then get some supplies for a new spell on Triton Ave. and Colossus Blvd.”  
“Think you can handle it? I’ve got something to do this morning.”  
“No prob. I’ll probably be spending a day at Cyclops anyway.”  
“Right. I’ll catch up with you there then.”  
“Sounds good.”  
Aurora made her way through Wizard City and Olde town and looked at where it split into three streets. She was supposed to meet a Nolan something on Cyclops Lane to help out. She shrugged and made her way towards the street on the right. Sticking to the sidewalks, Alura Dusksong was not caught up in the fights with the trolls and cyclops that ran amuck in the street. She’d deal with them later if she had to.  
Nolan wasn’t a very impressive Myth Wizard. He was just sitting on one of the stands at the fair and reading his book on mythology from his professor, Cyrus Drake. Alura rolled her eyes. “HEY!”  
The boy nearly dropped his book as he was startled out of his thoughts. “Who are you?”  
“Alura Dusksong, the wizard who’s been sent to help out around here. You Nolan?”  
“That’s right. Look, stop buggin me and go get some of those medallions that the trolls have. I sent some other wizards to do it, but they didn’t come back. They’re probably all gabbing somewhere rather than working.” Alura frowned.  
“Whatever. I’ll be back to have a few words with you, kid.”  
“I’m not a kid!”  
“Well you aren’t acting like an adult or a teen. You’re acting like a lazy kid… actually I know kids who were better than you…” She muttered as she went off to fight some of the trolls.  
After fighting six trolls, Alura found that one of them had dropped something. She picked it up and frowned. “Who forgets to dot their I’s?” Her eyes widened as she read the message. It was a note to hold some wizard students and it was from someone going by the pen name of “M”. “Of Frostbite! I gotta tell Nolan!” Alura ran as fast as she could to the fairgrounds in the middle of the lane where Nolan was still reading his book. “HEY, NOLAN! We got a problem!” This time Nolan fell off of the stand he was sitting on, and landed on the ground.  
“OW. WHAT? What could be so important that you need to bother me?”  
Alura handed him the paper. “How about kidnapped students?”  
Nolan read over the note with some concern, which grew the more he read. “You’re right, this is serious. The cyclops have kidnapped the students! We should report this to Professor Drake, he’ll know what to do.”  
Alura frowned once more and slapped her hand to her face, barely avoiding her glasses. “Do you always rely on him? Does he do anything?”  
“Well…”  
“Thought not, look, I’m going to fight some Cyclops to take their hammers from them anyway, for one of the guards. You can send the next wizard over to the professor, unless you want to do it yourself, and see what he says. If I’m not back by the time that’s done, then something’s wrong.” Alura ran off down the street towards where she had been told that a general or something named Eye-Maximus lived.   
Alura battled her way through with what felt like ease. Alura frowned as she looked at the stairs ahead of her. “Ash…” She called into her watch. It not only how much damage she had taken and the time and day it was, but it also worked as a communicator to friends.   
“I’m here, what’s up?”  
“Something’s wrong here. I just made my way up to a tower where Maximus lives. It’s too easy. I’m sensing a trap. I already gave Nolan directions and the letter that I had found among the trolls. I’m going in.”  
“Aurora be careful!” Alura nodded hit the off button on her communicator. She knew what Ashlea had wanted to say. She had wanted to say that it was too dangerous. Aurora didn’t mind though. She knew Ashlea meant well, just like she did when she was over protective. She had called Ashlea to let her know that she might need rescuing. She knew a trap when she sensed it.   
As she entered the top of the tower with the cyclops and his Warhammer minotaur creature, she knew she was right. Especially while in mid battle, Alura was knocked out from behind by some sort of object hitting her head. Alura Dusksong had been captured!


End file.
